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A LinkedIn user has hit back at an unwanted admirer for using the business social network ‘like Tinder’.

Marketing and business consultant Abigail McAlpine took a screenshot of her conversation with a male user who called her ‘beautiful’ on the network.

She responded to his comment: “This is a professional website, please act like a professional.”

The conversation

The user, who according to Ms McAlpine has since deleted his account, replied: “A simple ‘thank you’ would have sufficed hunni [sic]. Be more nice. This is a nice website for nice people.”

Ms McAlpine hit back: “You're misinformed. The LinkedIn mission statement is ‘To connect the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful’. Not 'use it to message women the same you would on Tinder without the need to match them, because it’s irrelevant whether they want your attention or not, they should be thankful for your compliments on their looks on a professional website'.”

She added: “I’m not grateful for your comment, I find it entirely unprofessional that you’re using this platform to message women, so why would I thank you?”

Posting a screenshot of the conversation online, she wrote: “Please do not use this website like Tinder, I don't invite these comments with my profile or my work. I don't care if it's blunt, it's not what LinkedIn is for. It's becoming far too common.”

The post attracted more than 26,000 comments, with some accusing her of making up the story as a publicity stunt.

In response to the criticism, Ms McAlpine insisted: “It's not a marketing ploy.

“The sender became more threatening later - to the point of me reporting him to the police - when I said I would take his comments further he deleted his account. Convenient, I'm aware,” she added.

“Yes, I could have ignored or blocked him, it doesn't fix the issue of him approaching random women on the internet.

“When I posted the printscreen I was frustrated about the downfall of this website and saw it as a last ditch attempt to raise awareness about the issue. It's an attitude problem about what is perceived as an OK way to navigate this platform.”

Speaking about the reaction the post has received, she explained it is “bittersweet to hear how many people have had similar experiences, with many people stating themselves, partners or children have been through similar things”.

“It's frustrating that people have made this about me instead of seeing the bigger issue.

“There are those who have decided to comment on my looks stating that they think I'm ugly or he was drunk/various Specsavers comments.

“Insults outside of LinkedIn won't upset me. LinkedIn is a professional platform, it's different to Facebook where people feel they can say what they like without consequence. On LinkedIn you're representing your employers or your company and you should act accordingly.

“In my case, I represented myself as a frustrated freelancer, it may not be professional outing his messages but it's the larger issue that needs to be discussed, highlighted and fixed, if that's how it needed to happen then that's how it needed to happen.”